The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-04-13

you souiu, TOO, out you Wouiu nnu IL very
hard, Tom"
"Im used to hard things" he remarked,
| rather dryly, as / started to leave him.
The paper on which was at that time
employed was not in need Of an apprentice,
and the son OF politician had been prom
| ised n situation as soon as a vacancy was
| made, so there was no prospect for Tom
Browne, the homeless and friendless little
wanderer, getting place in that printing
Office. Although had talked in a manner
likely to discourage him, for the purpose of
testing tho strength OF his desire TO become
printer, i believed he would make a very
satisfactory apprentice, and that the print
ing Office would be the best means for the
improvement of the boy mentally. While
his education was very limited, il was no
poorer than other boys whom had known
TO become good printers, and some editors
and publishers. The printing office, ac-
cording to contemporary biography. has
been the school-reom of many of our
prominent men of public life. and it is APP
propriately called by some the american
Boys College," 1t has an educating in
fuence upon the boys which is TO be found
in no other place, and l became convinced
that Tom ought to be placed in printing
Office, but / saw no way of getting him
| there.
My afternoons work consisted of writing
an account of the startling developments
growing out of an investigation of the rec
ords OF several county officials, and / had
about exhausted my notes when the "devil"
of the Office came in and announced:
! There's little barefooted Teller out in
the hall that wants to see, you"
The little barefooted Teller" was Tom,
and he came toward me looking happy.
IL had good luck to- day, and l can give
| you this much now for what you done for
me to-day" and as he said this he laid
twenty-five cents on the table before me
half of his earnings. | remarked that he
owed me nothing and protested against
taking it; but as lie loosed displeased
said nothing further, and put the money in
my pocket; j..
| Tom remarked after short silence.
you've been n mighty good friend TO me
to-day, and itpakes me feel kinder bad to
think about lot seem you again; but then
/ must go. It's gettin' to be cold weather,
and l want to find steady job if L can
fore winter comes on. I'm goin' to start
early in the mornin'. and | guess l won't
see YOU again fore leave"
The boys words made me feel badly,
too, and made no reply. After looking
at me in silence for moment or two, he
said:
"Some day I'm goin' to be newspaper
man, too
what direction do you intend to go,
Tom?" / asked.
I'm goin' to take the p. road" he re-
piled.
/ had a warm friend who was proprietor
of newspaper in p, and I remembered
having heard him complain one day, in the
course of a conversation, that it had been
his misfortune to always get bad appren-
tees. Requesting Tom to wait few mo-
ments, as had a message to send by him,
/ wrote n letter TO Edmonson, recommend
ing Thomas ID. Browne rs the boy thought
he had long been hunting for that, al
though he was quite small and perhaps il
literate, he was quick of movement, was
anxious to learn, and / believed would be
satisfactory; that at least he was worthy a
trial. l handed the letter to Tom, and re-
quested him to deliver it to c. +. Edmon-
son when he reached p. We then went 10
a boarding house near by, and . directed
the landlord to give Tom meals and lod2-
ing. AS the lad would receive no money
from me, l also gave the landlord a dollar.
which was to be given Tom before he left
town. | did not have courage to bid the
boy "good-by," and without saying word
10 uIln HuIIleulN hi'tTJeu 10 ltaNt, Dut ue
caught me by the hand. and, his eyes glis-
tening with tears. he looked up at me sOr-
rowfully as he Said:
"Good-by. good friend!"
l muttered some reply and hurried away.
That was the last time | saw Tom Browne,
the little wanderer, but two weeks alter
ward | received letter from Edmonson,
and note from Tom was inclosed, which
read as follows:
dear friend i got hear All Right and
Am wurking in mr.. edmunsons printing
offs like it veri we'll and thanke yu for
riting that letter hope will sea yu sum
da youres truli
thomas ID. browne.
Several weeks afterwards my connection
with the journal came TO an end, and |
went West with the innumeable caravan
of fortune seekers. For several years L
wandered through Mexico and the South
ern and Western States. Fifteen years
passed by. An exciting political campaign
was in progress, and was ordered to ac-
company General >. IN his canvass of
Western State for the purpose Of report
ing his grand ovationS and mastery
efforts" At most places there We recon-
m,ttees whose special duty il was TO pro-
vide for the comfort and pleasure of the
representatives, of the press, and these
committees, without exception, seemed 10
regard it as necessary that every member
of the local press from the item catcher
10 the editor in chief, should go through
the ceremonies of an PRODUCTION.
A large assemblage greeted our party Mt
a small city in the interior of the State, and
long procession, headed by our barouche.
as usual. passed through the principal
streets. As we were passing row of fine
business houses my attention was directed
| by gentleman at my side to an attractive
building which, he stated, was the publish
| ing house of the Times, prosperous Jour-
pal of great influence in that section, and
that the editor. though young man,
had manifested remarkable ability. AS
the procession proceeded other evil
dences of the little city's thrift were
! pointed ont. When we arrived Mt the wig
wan large crowd had assembled. Gen
eral S. spoke for over two hours and was
followed by two or three local politicians,
who made short speeches. When the
meeting adjourned we had just thirty min
d; utes left in which to reach the train, and rs
we were about TO start one of tn Commit
tee OH Entertainment beckoned me aside
and introduced M Browne, editor of the
Times" ne-looking Young man OF pleas
! ing address.